This presentation covers effective strategies for international student programs. It discusses understanding the international student population and ensuring infrastructure for their support from recruitment through graduation. Common issues schools face include extensive paperwork, language barriers, and lack of integration opportunities. Solutions involve streamlining processes, dedicated staff, language tutoring, and events for cultural integration. International students are in high demand due to benefits like diversity and economic impact. While requiring time and compliance, retaining international students is more cost effective than continual recruitment.

1. Effective International
Student Programs
Dr. Tami Erickson
CEO
Bit of Everything
Dr. Martin Yousef
Independent Higher Education
Executive

2. Presenters
• Dr. Tami Erickson
– 17 years experience
– Bit of Everything
– Yellow
– 49er’s
• Dr. Martin Yousef
– 15 years experience in
higher education
leadership
– Unique background
– Red
– Dallas Cowboys

3. Presentation Description
Offering an effective international student
program begins with understanding the
international student population and ensuring
your campus has the right infrastructure in place
to not just recruit international students, but to
provide them the support needed for their
success. This session will cover common issues
that schools face from recruitment to graduation
when working with International Students and
effective solutions for those issues.

4. Objectives
• Understand the international student
population
• Understand the recruitment of international
students
• Learn about Admissions barriers and how to
remove them
• Learn techniques to retaining international
students
• Explore how to leverage graduation of
international students

5. STATISTICS & TRENDS

6. International Student Statistics
• There are currently more than one million
international students studying in the United
States.
• For 2013 to 2014 there has been an 8% increase
in students who are studying in the United
States.
• International students now comprise just over
4% of those studying at US universities and
graduate schools.

7. International Student Statistics
• The top 10 countries for producing
international students in America:
China
India
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Canada
Brazil
Taiwan
Japan
Vietnam
Mexico

8. International Student Statistics
• The largest field of study for foreign students are majors in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, commonly
called STEM fields.
• The second most popular field of study is business, with around
200,000 foreign students studying in the field.
• There are 8,887 U.S. schools certified by SEVP to enroll
international students.
• Seventy-seven percent of SEVP-certified schools have 50 or less
enrolled students.

9. International Student Statistics

10. INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS IN DEMAND

11. Good Reasons
• Diversity
• Part of schools’ mission
• Surrounding community
• Increase student population

12. Cautions
• Time & effort
• Support needs
• Extra layers of compliance
• Stress on the campus

13. RECRUITMENT

14. Recruitment Issues
• Advertising
• Agents
• Language
• Parents

15. Recruitment Solutions
• Culturally sensitive advertising
• Manage agents
• Campus based enrollment team
• Language help
• Parent inclusion

16. ADMISSIONS

17. Admissions Issues
• Extensive paperwork
• School staffing
• School focused on numbers

18. Admissions Solutions
• Streamlining paperwork
• Dedicated school staff
• Focus on international students

19. ACADEMICS

20. Academic Issues
• Language
• Reading
• Instructor expectations

21. Academic Solutions
• Language tutoring
• Reading practice
• Instructor training

22. STUDENT SERVICES

23. Student Services Issues
• Transferring to another school
• Integration challenges
• Financial issues
• School staffing

24. Student Services Solutions
• Transferring to another school
• Integration opportunities
• Financial opportunities
• Dedicated staff

25. GRADUATION

26. Graduation Issues
• Graduation ceremonies
• Lack of alumni involvement
• Work, more education, or go home

27. Graduation Solutions
• Graduation ceremonies
• Alumni activities
• Work, more education, or go home

28. In Closing
• Understand the cultures
• Right reasons
– Diversity
– Enhance local community
• It is cheaper to retain then recruit

29. Contact Us
• Dr. Tami Erickson
• Bit of Everything
• terickson@bitofeverything.com
• 830-295-9662
• Dr. Martin Yousef
• martincyousef@yahoo.com
• 310-925-8015

30. QUESTIONS

31. THANK YOU

32. References
Andrade, M.S., (2005). International students and the first year of college. Journal of
the First –Year Experience & Students in Transition, 17:1, p. 101-129.
Byrd, P. (1991). Issues in the recruitment and retention of international students by
academic programs in the United States. ERIC.
Cheng, J. (July, 2013). International Students: Addressing Barriers to Successful
Transition. Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA
Ortiz, A., Chang, L., and Fang, Y (2015). February 2, 2015
http://wenr.wes.org/2015/02/international-student-mobility-trends-2015-an-
economic-perspective
Reisberg, L. (2014, June 15). Investing in International Students.
https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/world-view/investing-international-students
http://plaza.ufl.edu/ffgao/mmc5015/final/academic.html
http://www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/Economic-Impact-
of-International-Students
http://www.peoriamagazines.com/ibi/2015/aug/international-students-impact-
community
http://www.internationalstudentrecruitment.org/downloads/NAFSA-Global-Partner-
Session-ELS-June-2%202011.pdf
http://www.collegiategateway.com/trends-in-international-students-at-us-colleges/